IBERIA PARISH — As students prepare to return to classrooms, the Iberia Parish School District is taking additional steps to ensure their safety. All 24 campuses in the district are receiving newly installed AI-powered entrance systems as part of a district-wide security upgrade.
A $350,000 Stronger Connections Grant is funding the safety enhancement and is one component of a larger capital improvement plan. That plan also includes the rezoning of Sugarland Elementary School and the construction of a new career center in the parish.
At Jefferson Island Road Elementary School, Principal Niles Romero spoke with KATC about the changes and the importance of proactive security measures.
“You see it on the news when something bad happens, but it’s good to let parents know what we’re doing proactively to stop that thing from happening,” Romero said.
Romero, who has led the school for eight years, emphasized that the new entrance system is an added layer of protection—complementing existing measures like metal detectors and secure double-door entryways.
“To have access to children, you already have to get through at least two sets of locked doors,” he said.
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The most significant adjustment, Romero noted, might be getting used to a different entry door.
“The biggest problem parents are going to have is they’re used to pulling on a certain door to come in—and it’s the door we’ve never used, the left-side door,” he said with a smile. “Just read the signs on the doors.”
Classes for grades 1-12 begin Thursday, Aug. 8. Pre-K and kindergarten students will start on staggered dates: Aug. 13 and 14. For more information, click here.
